Brynn Hartman

Name

Brynn Hartman

STATUS

Brynn Hartman committed suicide by shooting herself the same day.

Characteristics

Brynn Hartman’s case involved alcohol and cocaine use, a Zoloft (antidepressant) treatment, and a history of mental illness is referenced in the material.

Background

Brynn Hartman was born as Vicki Jo Omdahl on April 11, 1958, in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, to Donald Gene Omdahl and Constance Faye Omdahl (née Arnold). She had a brother named Gregory Clark Omdahl and two sisters named Katherine Kelly Omdahl Wright and Debbie Omdahl Borreson.

On May 20, 1977, she married Douglas Iver Torfin, and they later divorced.

On November 25, 1987, she married Phil Hartman. They had two children: Sean Edward Hartman (born 1987) and Birgen Hartman (born 1992).

After the deaths, both children were raised by her sister Katherine and her husband Michael Wright in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The material also states that, until the children were taken in by Brynn’s married sister Katherine Kay Wright (29) in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, the children were staying with Hartman’s brother John, a Los Angeles record-company executive.

The material describes Brynn’s early acting work as small roles on television and film, including playing a waitress in the Elijah Wood film North and a Venusian on 3rd Rock from the Sun. It also states that she met Phil Hartman while working as a Catalina swimsuit model. She appeared during the early 1990s opening credit sequence of Saturday Night Live, having dinner with Hartman.

The offence

On May 28, 1998, Brynn Hartman killed her husband, Phil Hartman, in his sleep by shooting him three times with a revolver. The material states she used a revolver and describes the shots as twice in the head and once in his right side.

After shooting Phil Hartman, she went back into the bedroom and killed herself using a second revolver with a single gunshot to her head.

Investigation

The material describes the events after the shooting as part of an investigation and police response, including the arrival of police, police escorting the children from the house, and officers hearing a gunshot inside the house before discovering the bodies.

Following the shooting, police arrived and escorted Sean and Birgen out of the house. As officers were taking Birgen out, officers heard a gunshot inside. Storming the bedroom, they found Phil Hartman on the bed and Brynn Hartman next to him with a gunshot wound to her head.

Arrest

No arrest is described in the material.

Timeline

• May 20, 1977 — Brynn Hartman married Douglas Iver Torfin.
• November 25, 1987 — Brynn Hartman married Phil Hartman.
• May 27, 1998 — Brynn visited Buca di Beppo with her friend Christine Zander and later returned to her Encino home and had a heated argument with Hartman.
• May 28, 1998 — Brynn shot Phil Hartman in his sleep; she then killed herself the same day.

Other details

Time and movements described around the offence

The material states that around 2am or 3am, Brynn drove to her friend Ron Douglas’ house, confessed to what she had done, and Douglas did not believe her at first. It also states she made a second call to another friend and again confessed, before returning to her Encino home with Douglas.

The material provides a time of 6:20am when Douglas called 911. Police arrived quickly and escorted the two children out of the house. The material also includes a description that Brynn went back into the bedroom before police attended to her and locked the door prior to her suicide.

One portion of the material states that Brynn arrived back at the house at about 2:00 AM and proceeded upstairs where Phil was asleep.

Weapon details described

The material states Brynn used a .38-caliber handgun (a revolver is also described) and that she shot Phil three times. It also states Phil kept one of the weapons in a safe in his home, and that Brynn had another .38-caliber handgun which she used to commit suicide.

Autopsy and toxicology details

An autopsy showed that Brynn consumed alcohol, cocaine, and the antidepressant Zoloft that evening. The coroner’s official determination was suicide.

Substance-use and treatment details stated in the material

The material states that Brynn had anger management problems, and that her substance abuse included alcoholism and cocaine addiction. It states that Phil and Brynn argued over her alcoholism, her addiction to cocaine, and the impending divorce. It also states that Brynn combined cocaine, alcohol, and Zoloft at the Hollywood restaurant Buca di Beppo the night of the murder/suicide.

The material also states that Brynn had been sober for 10 years until five months before the murder, when comedian Andy Dick reintroduced her to cocaine, according to Phil Hartman’s friend and colleague Jon Lovitz.

It further states that Brynn had been in and out of rehab, and that earlier that year she checked into an Arizona clinic for only four or five days before leaving. It also states that several days before the homicide she began drinking and using cocaine again while taking an antidepressant that can cause violent outbursts if mixed with alcohol or drugs.

Dispute about disposition of remains

The material states there was some dispute as to the disposition of the remains of both Brynn and Phil. It says some reports had their ashes scattered off Catalina Island, while other reports had their ashes buried at Forest Lawn. Another portion states the bodies were cremated at Forest Lawn Glendale and the ashes were scattered off Catalina Island per Phil’s request in his will.

Children’s custody after the incident

The material states that the couple’s two children were escorted out by police and later were turned over to Brynn’s sister Katharine Omdahl and her husband, Mike Wright, to raise. It also states the children were staying with Hartman’s brother John, a Los Angeles record-company executive, until they were taken in by Brynn’s married sister Katherine Kay Wright (29) who lived in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

Quotes

Steven Small

The material includes statements attributed to Steven Small (Phil Hartman’s divorce attorney). It states he said Brynn’s anger management problems may have contributed to the murder/suicide.

The material also includes a set of direct quotations attributed to Steven Small:

“I go into my cave and she throws grenades to get me out.”

It further includes direct quotations attributed to Steven Small about arguments:

“Phil was always very open with the public, but at home he retreated inside.” “She had to get amped up to get his attention, and when she got amped up, he would simply go to sleep. He would withdraw. And in the morning he'd wake up, and everything would be fine.”

Ron Douglas

The material states that Brynn confessed to Ron Douglas, but he did not believe her.

Jeannie Petersen

The material includes a direct quotation attributed to Jeannie Petersen:

“He wouldn't give her a divorce. For two years she was trying to get it.”

Ron del Barrio

The material includes a direct quotation attributed to Ron del Barrio:

“Everyone was telling stories about Phil,” says Ron del Barrio, Hartman's golf instructor, of the gathering that included SNL alum Laraine Newman. "But when they'd start to laugh, they'd immediately lose it. They couldn't believe they were talking like he was gone."

Lovitz

The material includes a direct quotation attributed to Lovitz:

“I don't understand how this could happen.”

Rita Wilson

The material includes a direct quotation attributed to Rita Wilson:

“This is just a tragedy beyond description,” says Rita Wilson, Tom Hanks's wife and Hartman's costar in the 1996 film Jingle All the Way . "Now two children are left without the two most important people in their lives, and with a lifetime of confusion."

Todd Red

The material includes direct quotations attributed to Todd Red:

“They always seemed happy,” says Todd Red, a bartender at Buca di Beppo, where the Hartmans celebrated her 40th birthday recently. "They always held hands and laughed and seemed like they were having a good time."

It also includes a direct quotation attributed to Todd Red about leaving the restaurant:

"Goodbye, it was good seeing you," Red called to them. Brynn, smiling, responded, "'I'll be back real soon, and I'll be sure to bring Phil next time.'"

Linda Thompson

The material includes a direct quotation attributed to Linda Thompson:

“She admitted she'd had a couple of episodes when she'd fallen off the wagon,” says a friend, songwriter Linda Thompson. "I remember her saying she didn't want to be an addict."

TV producer

The material includes direct quotation attributed to a TV producer:

“This,” says the TV producer, "was not a happy household."

Brynn’s friend Andrea Diamond

The material includes direct quotations attributed to Andrea Diamond:

“She was always hanging out with them, always driving them around,” says her close friend Andrea Diamond, a homemaker. "She wasn't feeling trapped in motherhood."

It also includes a direct quotation attributed to Andrea Diamond about looking forward:

“I know they were both really looking forward to the summer,” says her friend Andrea Diamond. "They were just trying to get through the month of May."

Christine Zander

The material includes direct quotations attributed to Christine Zander:

“She was in a good frame of mind,” Zander told PEOPLE. "She seemed content."

“We made plans to see each other the following weekend.”

“She seemed content.”

“didn't talk about any problems,” says Zander.

Metza Giezing

The material includes direct quotations attributed to Metza Giezing:

“He thought her face was too round and wanted her chin to be more square,” says Giezing.

Gretchen Lewis (second-wife Strain’s statements) and Lisa Strain

The material includes direct quotations attributed to Lisa Strain:

“He would disappear emotionally,” says Strain. “Phil's body would be there, but he'd be in his own world. That passivity made you crazy. And when I'd protest, he'd say, 'You're getting in the way of my career, and this is who I am and what it's going to be like.'”

The material includes direct quotations attributed to Strain about the letter:

“Brynn wrote me back four pages of the most hideous vitriol you could imagine,” says Strain. “Do you have any idea who you are married to?' And he said, 'You should've seen the letter she wanted to send.'”

It also includes a direct quotation attributed to Strain about wanting to make the marriage work:

“wanted to do whatever he could to make this marriage work.”

Terry Soine

The material includes a direct quotation attributed to Terry Soine:

“just another student, an ordinary young lady,” says her Lincoln High School principal Terry Soine.

Brynn’s friend about her identity

The material includes a direct quotation attributed to a friend who had known Brynn since she was 18:

“When I met her, she was Vicki; then she became Vicki Jo, then Brindon and then Brynn. I'd laugh and say, 'Who are you this week?'”

Shelley Curtis

The material includes a direct quotation attributed to Shelley Curtis:

“Brynn didn't have her own identity,” says an L.A. friend, Shelley Curtis. "She was a little confused and lost in the Phil Hartman game."

Suzan Stadner

The material includes direct quotations attributed to Suzan Stadner:

“felt intimidated by Phil. He was this confident guy on the way up.”

Todd Red (again, end-of-evening)

The material includes:

“‘I'll be back real soon, and I'll be sure to bring Phil next time.'”

Lorne Michaels

The material includes direct quotations attributed to Lorne Michaels:

“His nickname was 'the Glue,'” says SNL creator Lorne Michaels. "He kind of held the show together. He gave to everybody and demanded very little. He was very low-maintenance."

Death details

The material states Brynn Hartman died on May 28, 1998, in Encino, Los Angeles County, California, after committing suicide by shooting herself with a gun. It also states Phil Hartman was killed during the same incident.